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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23021506">Because I Love You</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merlucaforever/pseuds/Merlucaforever'>Merlucaforever</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Grey's Anatomy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 11:29:06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>11,437</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23021506</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merlucaforever/pseuds/Merlucaforever</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Will Merluca rise again after the blizzard that put their relationship on the rocks?</p><p>Post 16x15</p><p>All rights reserved to Shonda Rhimes</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Meredith Grey/Andrew DeLuca</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>92</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">


        <li>
            A translation of

            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23021317">Parce que je t’aime</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merlucaforever/pseuds/Merlucaforever">Merlucaforever</a>.
        </li>

    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This fic is based on the promo pics for 16x17 showing Andrew in the middle of his therapy session. I hope you like it.</p><p>I apologize for the mistakes, I’m not a native speaker.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Because I Love You</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Merlucaforever</strong>
</p><p>Andrew entered his apartment, got rid of his stuff at the entrance – helmet, key, backpack, jacket – before plumping down on the couch. It had been a tough day, a truly tough one. Yet, he was supposed to feel better after his first day back at work and also his third therapy session. But that was not the case. He had taken stock of everything that had happened in the last few weeks and realized that nothing would ever be the same again. He had been pushing away and hurting the two most important people in his life: his sister and... the woman he loved more than anything in the world. </p><p>He couldn’t even be there for her during the difficult times she was going through. God, what had happened to Alex… no! He still couldn’t believe it. He had learned about it from Jackson who had come to check on him in his room the next day after the blizzard. The critical first twelve hours had passed and there were high hopes for his hands. Also, the hospital psychiatrist, sent by Bailey for a consult the night before at the insistence of his sister – and also at the insistence of Jackson who had noticed that he wasn’t acting like himself – had managed to soothe his feelings by talking to him and putting him on meds.</p><p>Jackson had just finished consulting him when his phone rang.</p><p><strong>– </strong>“Maggie? What’s going on? Calm down please and start all over from the beginning. Where’s Meredith?”.   </p><p>Jackson’s tone and expression left no room for doubt: something terrible had happened. </p><p><strong>– </strong>“What happened? Is that Meredith? Oh my God, are the kids okay?”, asked Andrew. He suddenly seemed to be in a state of great panic.    </p><p><strong>– </strong>“No, man. Meredith and the kids are fine. It’s... it’s Alex”.</p><p>Andrew refused to believe what he saw in Jackson’s eyes.</p><p><strong>– </strong>“Oh my God! What happened?”.  </p><p><strong>– </strong>“I… I don’t know exactly. I didn’t understand much of what Maggie was saying; she was incoherent. I have to go. Mer and Jo are in surgery and they don’t know anything yet”.</p><p><strong>– </strong>“I have to go too. I need to see Meredith. She won’t stay the course”. </p><p><strong>– </strong>“No, you’d better not move from here if you don’t want to be transferred to the psychiatric ward. Meredith managed to convince the psychiatrist to let you stay here. Besides, you mustn’t risk injuring your hands or getting an infection in the corridors. Do not play the hero anymore, please”.  </p><p>Once Jackson left, Andrew realized that the news was like a shock that had completely woken him up. The only thing he could think of was that Meredith was going to need him, even if she had her sisters, and that he had to be there for her. It was obvious that she continued to worry about him after he kicked her out of his room.</p><p>When he finally managed to find a male nurse, who agreed to help him put on his pants under the patient gown he was wearing – after promising that he would not escape – he left his room and took the elevator to get to the operating rooms floor. As the elevator door opened, he saw Meredith who was about to enter it. He immediately realized that she knew. </p><p>The news had had the effect of a bomb in the hospital. The nurse who had helped him had already shared with him the little information he had. Though Alex hadn’t worked for several months at <em>Grey Sloan, </em>everyone seemed devastated, as if he had never left and as the matter of fact, he had never left; he was still there and will always be there.</p><p>Meredith hesitated before entering the elevator. She probably thought that he was going to step out and said: </p><p><strong>– </strong>“I… I’m heading down”. </p><p>Her voice was trembling; it sounded like she had a lump in her throat. She had red eyes, a sign that she had been crying. </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Me too”, he said, not knowing what it was appropriate to say to her under those circumstances, after having acted like an ass with her.</p><p>He stepped back to make room for her and saw the tears shining in her eyes and his heart had been gripped by pain. She tried to fight her tears back and turned to press the ground floor button.</p><p><strong>– </strong>“Don’t feel obliged to walk in the snow to save me Andrew. I’m fine. Truly, I’m fine”. </p><p>Andrew understood, because of the pain he was feeling at that very moment, how much he must have hurt her by telling her that he didn’t need her and kicking her out of his room the night before.</p><p>He could only see her back and looked at her thick blond hair on her shoulders. He approached her and recognized the enchanting scent of her shampoo. He said: </p><p><strong>– </strong>“But me, I’m not okay Meredith”. His voice broke to a whisper as he repeated: “I’m not okay”.     </p><p>Then Meredith turned to face him and let her tears run down her cheeks. They both knew what it must have cost him to admit that and she seemed so moved. Andrew wanted to hug her to wipe away her tears, but he knew he had lost the right to do so after treating her the way he did. He simply said to her: </p><p><strong>– </strong>“I’m sorry Mer. I’m so sorry!”. </p><p>But Andrew’s eyes were saying more than his words. He didn’t just mean that he was sorry for Alex. His eyes also said to her: “<em>I’m sorry I hurt you. I am sorry to have screwed everything up between us</em>”. And, his eyes were also the windows of his soul where she could see the pure love, still intact and so strong, that he felt for her.    </p><p>Meredith sighed, looked down for a moment at the frostbite on his hands before making eye contact with him again. She took a step towards him and for a brief moment, Andrew saw her sadness, her desolation, her anger at what happened as if she had let down the shell of the strong woman who needed no one’s help, a shell which had been hiding her vulnerability so far. But the elevator door suddenly opened before he could hug her as he was about to do so, and they heard Maggie’s voice calling Meredith’s name.</p><p><strong>– </strong>“Mer! Hurry up. Link and Amelia have already left with Jo, and Jackson is waiting for us in the car”.  </p><p>Meredith then slowly stepped out and turned around to say: </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Don’t worry, I’m going to be fine. Everything will be fine. Take care of yourself”. </p><p>Andrew hadn’t move and they stared at each other intensely, until the doors closed.</p><p>Lying on his couch thinking back to that scene, Andrew felt the same feelings that had overwhelmed him in that elevator.</p><p>He had heard that she had taken a few days off and it was only today that he saw her again. He had run into her briefly on the stairs and they couldn’t really talk because she was hurrying to the pit. She looked so sad and yet so beautiful. He had spoken to her the way one would speak to a friend who was going through an upsetting time so that she would know that he was there if she needed him, but that’s it. </p><p>He had had time to think and even if his therapist did not seem to agree with him, he knew it was better to keep things that way. Yes, they couldn’t be together anymore because he had nothing to offer her.</p><p>His worst fear had become reality: he had become just like his father. And he would never put anyone through that kind of life. Especially Meredith. Especially at that moment. He loved her too much for that. She deserved to be happy. The only way for him not to ruin her life and to be able to continue to live with himself was to let her go. </p><p>As he was about to get up to go prepare a salad, he heard a light knock on the door.</p><p>“<em>Damn it, Carina, I told you to leave me alone this evening”</em>, he muttered under his breath, as he walked to answer the door. He had talked enough for today with his therapist, he told to himself.  </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Carina, for God sake...”. He stopped dead in his tracks when he discovered who was standing outside his door.</p><p>It was her. The only woman who could make his stomach do that weird thing when he saw her. Yet he had to find the strength to leave her because he loved her.</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>To be continued…</em>
  </strong>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Suddenly she felt the urge to speak to him, to take care of him. She absolutely had to see him at the end of her shift. But it ended later than expected, as often happened when you were in the OR, and Andrew had already left. So, she decided to go to his place.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi everybody! So, Alex didn’t die (no comment!), but I’m not going to talk too much about him because the story is centered on Merluca. </p><p>Thank you for your kudos and comments. Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 2</strong>
</p><p>Meredith were back to work this morning. It was her first day since the terrible announcement of… no she didn’t want to think about it anymore. She had thrown herself into work and had returned to her routine almost mechanically as if nothing had changed. Yet, her world had shattered. She had to say goodbye to her best friend, the one who had become “her person” even more than Cristina herself had ever been. She had to say goodbye to him just when everything was spinning out of control between Andrew and her and that she needed him the most. She wanted Alex to be there to talk to him about Andrew. And she wanted Andrew to be by her side to talk to him about Alex.</p><p>Although Andrew had told her that he didn’t need her anymore, she kept in touch with his sister to hear from him. In the early afternoon, she ran into him getting down the stairs as she was coming back from Carina’s service, who had told her about how his therapy was going.</p><p><strong>– </strong>“Hey!”, he greeted her. </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Hey”, she answered him. </p><p><strong>– </strong>“You... you’re back”.  </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Yeah. You too”. </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Yeah. Yet, I thought Bailey would have fired me for being so stupid”. </p><p>Meredith smiled at him and said: </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Who’s to say that he really knows Bailey?”.  </p><p>Andrew laughed slightly but suddenly became serious after their exchange of banalities. </p><p><strong>– </strong>“How are you doing?”, he asked her.</p><p><strong>– </strong>“I’m good. How about you?”. </p><p><strong>– </strong>“I’m getting better. Much better”. </p><p><strong>– </strong>“I’m happy to hear that”. </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Meredith, I’m sorry for what happened. We need to talk”. </p><p>Meredith wasn’t ready to have a conversation with him. Seeing him again after these few weeks troubled her too much. No, she needed more time; otherwise, she would start crying and would throw herself into his arms.</p><p><strong>– </strong>“OK, if you want, but not now. I have to go; they’re waiting for me at the pit”. </p><p>She was already walking down the stairs when Andrew said to her: </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Okay. But if there’s anything I can do…”. </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Thank you”, she said quickly without stopping to look at him. </p><p>She spent the rest of the day between the pit and the OR because there had been a massive pileup on the highway and there wasn’t enough room for the victims. She was relieved to learn a little later from Helm that Andrew was running the clinic where the minor injuries were taken care of; thus, she wasn’t likely to meet him again. Yet, she couldn’t stop thinking about him.  He told her he was sorry... it meant he was really getting better. She knew he would never have told her all these harsh words if he had been himself; she knew he didn’t mean them. </p><p>She didn’t mind being called a hypocrite. She was sure Bailey would agree with him because there wasn’t a single rule that she hadn’t already broken, and she had been doing it since day one. Moreover, didn’t she deserved to be reminded that he wasn’t the only one who could inherit a genetic disease after having thrown in his face the terrible truth about his behavior which looked like his father’s? Besides, she thought about it all the time, especially when the city shut off the water because she had forgotten to pay the bill. </p><p>But it hurt her terribly when he told her he didn’t need her, and also when he kicked her out of his room while all she wanted was to be able to help him. Even though he wanted to end their relationship, she couldn’t bear the thought of him dealing with all this alone. Of course, there was Carina, but she divided her time between Italy and Seattle and would not be able to be there for him whenever he needed her.</p><p>Suddenly she felt the urge to speak to him, to take care of him. She absolutely had to see him at the end of her shift. But it ended later than expected, as often happened when you were in the OR, and Andrew had already left. So, she decided to go to his place. </p><p>***************************************</p><p>When he opened the door for her, he was surprised to see her. Apparently, he thought it was his sister. Taking advantage of his astonishment, she told him right off the bat, before he had time to say anything: </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Andrew, you have nothing to be sorry about. I’m the one who is sorry”. </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Um... Mer? What…”.  </p><p>She walked past him and continued: </p><p><strong>– </strong>“I should have talked to you before asking Bailey to take over the case, especially since I knew how attached you were to Suzanne. I should have explained to you why I was worried about you instead of accusing you of being like your father, as if you were in control. I should have known it would be hard for you to take. I should have been there for you, no matter how many times you pushed me away”. She caught her breath a moment after this monologue and added: “Andrew, I’m sorry”.     </p><p>Andrew was surprised to hear Meredith apologize when he was the one who had acted like an ass. He had tried to cut her off, but she hadn’t let him. When she finally shut up, he replied: </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Meredith, I don’t deserve your apologies! And that is not going to make me feel any less bad for yelling at you in the hallways like that. And that remark on Alzheimer’s was unforgivable! I was...”. </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Not yourself”, she cut him off. </p><p><strong>– </strong>“What?”.  </p><p><strong>– </strong>“You were not yourself Andrew, and I told you so”. </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Yes, I was like my father. You were right and I am sorry”. He ran his hands through his hair before continuing: “Mer, I’m so sorry. I feel so guilty and ashamed of myself. I can’t even ask you to forgive me because…”.    </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Andrew, you don’t have to ask because there’s nothing that needs to be forgiven. It’s like asking me to forgive you for being sick. Everything you said were symptoms of your illness and proof that you weren’t well. I don’t yet know exactly what this is all about, but I’m glad to see that you have decided to get help and that you’re getting better”. </p><p><strong>– </strong>“I see that you have done some research on bipolar disorder. You sound just like my therapist”, he said as if he was making fun of himself to try to hide the pain that he felt by talking about his mental illness which terrified him. </p><p>She approached him slightly but restrained herself from touching him, as she was about to do so.</p><p><strong>– </strong>“Andrew!”, she said in a sad voice. “I know you are scared, and I also understand that you are upset about what is happening to you, but you are doing the right thing and you are on the right track. I feel bad that I haven’t been there for you because of everything that happened with Alex but I promise you that I will be there from now on, even if you don’t need me. I’m here Andrew and I’m not going anywhere”.  </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Mer, even if you think that I shouldn’t blame myself for my unacceptable behavior, you can’t tell me that I didn’t hurt you. I know I hurt you deeply”.  </p><p>Andrew sighed and plumped himself onto the sofa while Meredith remained motionless. He looked up at her and continued: </p><p><strong>– </strong>“I cannot promise you that it won’t happen again, Mer. Of course, I have just started my treatment and my therapist is very optimistic. She never had a patient diagnosed so early and that is thanks to you and Carina. It’s a one in a million kind of thing. But although the diagnosis towards which she is leaning happens to be the most treatable in my case and allows me to continue practicing medicine, I can’t promise you that everything will be fine. Meredith…”.</p><p>He paused and Meredith knew immediately what he was about to say. She shook her head to make him stop talking, but he went on:</p><p><strong>– </strong>“I don’t want, and I can’t drag you into this whole mess. We can’t be together”. </p><p>Meredith went to sit next to him and said:  </p><p><strong>– </strong>“It’s nice to worry about me but it’s far too late for that. I’m in this with you because I care a lot about you. I care too much about you to walk away. I don’t want to, and I can’t leave you”.</p><p><strong>– </strong>“Mer, I feel lost”, he whispered. His voice was shaking slightly with all the emotions that he felt. “You and I, we were not okay before all this and now I’m afraid it’s too late for us. Anyway, how can there still be an <em>“us”</em> if I can’t even take care of myself first? If I can’t take care of you and the kids? You and I just can’t happen right now”.</p><p>She looked at him and smiled, saying: </p><p><strong>– </strong>“So, I think it’s my turn to give you some time”. </p><p><strong>– </strong>“And ... what does that mean?”, asked Andrew, looking at her questioningly.  </p><p><strong>– </strong>“That means that it’s me who’s offering you some time now so that you can figure out what you want. In the meantime, I want you to know that I’m going to be there for you as a friend so that we will be able to cope with it together. Until you’re ready for me to be more than a friend. And you can take all the time you need; I’ll be there waiting for you”.  </p><p>What she was offering him was both the craziest and the most sensible thing that he had ever heard. Oh my God he needed her so much! And he loved her more than anything in the world. But, at the same time, he knew that he wasn’t ready to pick their relationship up where they left off as if nothing had happened. As if nothing had changed. As if he was… the same person. And besides, who was he?  </p><p>Meredith could easily read his mind. His wonderful and expressive eyes always showed his thoughts and his feelings. She saw that he was tempted by her idea but that he was still hesitant for some noble reasons.</p><p><strong>– </strong>“Look, I know what you must be thinking: “<em>How many times do I have to dump that woman!</em>”.     </p><p>They both burst out laughing. God, it felt so good to laugh together again. It was a laugh filled with hope and promises! </p><p>Meredith took his hands and then squeezed them slightly. She thought that it wasn’t the right time to tell him how much she loved him; she might scare him off. Instead, she told him:  </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Do you want me to be <em>your</em> <em>person</em> and be <em>mine</em>?”   </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Yes, I do”. </p><p>Andrew was as surprised as Meredith by his answer. He let out a big sigh of relief as if he was holding his breath without knowing it and his smile widened.</p><p>Meredith smiled back at him, happy. Then she let herself go against his muscular torso. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly.  She finally was where she belonged. And he finally got back that part of him which had been missing for all those weeks without her.</p><p>They remained in each other arms for a while, enjoying the happiness of being together, of being so close to each other. They felt a familiar shiver running through their bodies and thought it was wiser to pull apart.</p><p>Andrew cleared his throat and asked: </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Uh... I was about to... prepare a salad. Are you tempted?”, he said as he got up – maybe a little too hastily – and walked to the small kitchen.</p><p>A bit nervous too, Meredith stood up in turn and answered:</p><p><strong>- </strong>“Oh! A salad? Um yeah, of course… I love salad... I mean, I love the salad you prepare... uh… can I help?”.</p><p>By way of answer, he handed her two tomatoes and give her his devastating smile.</p><p>That smile! She missed it so much! Meredith sighed. Pretending to be just friends is not going to be that easy!</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I was supposed to write only two chapters and show Merluca’s reconciliation, but I don't think that’s going to happen before the season finale. So, I’m leaving things unresolved in anticipation of a sequel. If you’re interested in it, let me know. </p><p>See you soon!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Meredith was heading to the Grey Sloan exit when she heard someone call her name. She knew it was him. No one else had such a tender, sensual voice that had such an effect on her. She turned around with a big smile on her face to look at him. Like her, he was wearing his street clothes and was about to go home.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi Merluca fans, we finally got our “I love you”! I’ve never been so happy as I am now, so much that I started writing again. Meredith told Andrew to take some time because she loves him! It certainly reminded you of that fic. So, do you want to know what’s going on during this break?</p><p>I was inspired to write this chapter when I saw Meredith with her bowl of popcorn in the 16x19 promotional video.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 3</strong>
</p><p><strong>– </strong>“Mer!”.  </p><p>Meredith was heading to the <em>Grey Sloan</em> exit when she heard someone call her name. She knew it was him. No one else had such a tender, sensual voice that had such an effect on her. She turned around with a big smile on her face to look at him. Like her, he was wearing his street clothes and was about to go home.</p><p><strong>– </strong>“Hi!”, he said, approaching her.  </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Hi, you’re leaving already too?”.  </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Yes, I just had my... my therapy session. But I have to stop by Bailey’s office for a few minutes. She always insists on seeing my progress with her own eyes”, he said, giggling. </p><p>Meredith had noticed that Andrew was still stumbling over the word “therapy”. She didn’t know if he was ashamed of it or if it was simply because these sessions with his therapist were too upsetting for him.</p><p><strong>– </strong>“And… how did it go?”</p><p>He sighed and ran his hand through his hair.</p><p><strong>– </strong>“It was a little harder than usual, I have to admit, but I’m okay”. </p><p>Meredith doubted that he was really okay, and she didn’t want to let him spend his evening alone.</p><p><strong>– </strong>“You know, I’m leaving earlier because tonight is movie night at home. Do you want to join us?”.  </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Mer, you don’t have to invite me over, you know, just because I look a little sad”. </p><p><strong>– </strong>“I know. I invite you because I like your company. It’s my third evening alone with the kids and I need to see an adult face. Maggie is at a conference and Amelia is always at Link’s”. </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Oh, I see!”.  </p><p><strong>– </strong>“I also have to confess that I don’t want to watch what I cook ending up in the trash again and then have to order pizza for them – even if they could eat pizza every day if I let them”. </p><p><strong>– </strong>“So, you’re asking for my help, if I understand correctly?”.  </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Yes, please! I hope you don’t mind”.  </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Not at all! I miss the kids and I’d love to prepare them a more balanced meal. I’ve got my motorbike, so I’ll stop by the grocery store to take what I need before joining you.</p><p><strong>– </strong>“Are you sure that this doesn’t bother you?”, asked Meredith, happy at the thought that she was going to spend the evening with him.</p><p><strong>– </strong>“Why would it bother me? That’s what friends are for, right?   </p><p>Oh yeah… friends! That’s what they were now. She had almost forgotten that. She couldn’t see him as a friend when he was so handsome in his form-hugging jeans and his black leather jacket. She smiled at him, hoping that he could not read her thoughts at the moment, and thanked him for taking the time to give her a hand with the kids.</p><p>*******************************</p><p>While driving home, Meredith thought back to those two weeks that had just passed since they had officially become each other’s person. It was back to that night when she had gone to his place to talk to him and reassure him that she would always be there for him. Starving, they had both eaten their salad with appetite and had spent hours talking while sipping their wine. Meredith was surprised to see that Andrew had confided in her so quickly and easily.  </p><p>Despite all the memories attached to every nook and cranny of his place – the kitchen counter, the couch and also the bed that you couldn’t help but notice as hard as you tried to ignore it – they had spent a “chaste” evening as friends and it had been even better  than if they had given in to their desire.  </p><p>Asking Andrew to take time might have driven them apart, but it had the opposite effect. They had never felt so close to each other before. And these last few days have only confirmed that it was what they both needed.</p><p>They got to know each other better. They have been talking more to each other. They have gone back to their old habits: bringing each other coffee, meeting on the rooftop, having lunch in the cafeteria or meeting at Joe’s at the end of their shift for a drink. They would chat and laugh together in the hallways, on rounds, in the OR as they both were trying to accomplish the impossible to save patients’ lives. </p><p>Andrew talked a lot about his sessions with her, what he has been discovering about his past which he had always refused to remember, and also about himself, his doubts and his fears. And against all odds, Meredith also opened up to him. Andrew understood better what Derek had meant to her and the courage it took for her to put herself back together again and allow herself to live again. He also understood better how upset she had been by the recent loss of her best friend.</p><p>The only subject that remained taboo was how they felt about each other. Yet, from their loving glances, their blissful smiles, their nervousness when they were too close, it was obvious that they were in love with each other. Both of them knew that they had never stopped loving each other in spite of everything that had happened, on the contrary.</p><p>They had realized how precious they were to each other and they did not want to risk losing what was between them by rushing things. They might open their old wounds if they didn’t give them enough time to heal. In any case, Meredith had told Andrew to take all the time he needed, and she had no intention of rushing things.</p><p>*******************************</p><p>“<em>No intention of rushing things? Hmm, that’s questionable</em>”, a small inner voice said to her as she finished getting dressed after a quick shower and looked at herself in the mirror. After trying in vain to ignore this inner voice, she finally was forced to concede that her outfit was maybe a bit too sexy.  </p><p>“<em>A bit too sexy! It’s downright provocative!</em>”, continued the little voice.  </p><p>She was wearing a knee-length navy blue Bermuda shorts and a red sleeveless top. A pair of very comfortable white ballerinas completed her outfit. Her hair was swept back in a ponytail making her look like a teenage girl getting ready for her first movie date.</p><p>She sighed! She really had to change. She was undressing when she heard someone knocking on the door. It was Andrew. Never mind! She put on the first clothes she found, undid her ponytail to let her hair fall freely on her shoulders and ran down the stairs to answer the door.  </p><p>*******************************</p><p>When Meredith opened the door to let him in, Andrew was amazed at her natural beauty, her sensuality.</p><p><strong>– </strong>“Wow! You are so beautiful!”, he exclaimed, handing her a lovely bouquet.   </p><p><strong>– </strong>“My favorite flowers! Thank you, that’s so nice of you but you shouldn’t have”. </p><p>She helped him get rid of his helmet because he was holding two big bags of groceries.</p><p><strong>– </strong>“You are about to feed an army or what?”, exclaimed Meredith.  </p><p><strong>– </strong>“I thought that you guys could eat the leftovers tomorrow”. </p><p><strong>– </strong>“You are our savior! I told the kids that you were coming over and they were very excited. They’ve been asking a lot of questions lately about your absence, but I’ve explained to them that you’ve been very busy. So, if you could try not to…”.  </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Of course. Don’t worry”. </p><p>But the reunion with the kids went even better than Andrew had expected. They were obviously curious and had lots of questions and Andrew had to be very careful not to contradict himself. They were very happy to see him and especially relieved that he was preparing the dinner: pasta, accompanied by meatballs and salad, and ice cream for dessert. They all wanted to help, and it was not easy for him to prevent them from destroying the kitchen. </p><p>Andrew was very happy to see them around him in the kitchen, telling him their stories, laughing and bickering. He felt like they were a real family. That was all he needed tonight after his therapy session where he talked about his relationship with Meredith and also about kids...</p><p>His therapist asked if he wanted kids. His own kids? No thanks. Not with that kind of genetic baggage. Of course, she had disagreed with him but that how he felt right now. He already had a family… well, unless he screwed up everything. They were the most precious thing in his life. He loved them so much, the kids and their legendary mother.</p><p>The meal was a real success. Everything was delicious and nothing ended up in the trash. Meredith insisted on doing the dishes while Andrew and the kids settled in the living room to watch the movie they had chosen.</p><p>Despite the hearty meal they had just eaten, the children insisted on having popcorn. And since no one was hungry, Bailey had the idea of a popcorn battle. Instead of telling them not to, Andrew grabbed a handful of popcorn and pretended to toss it all against her.</p><p><strong>– </strong>“Andrew, no. You won’t dare!”, she said laughingly, unable to keep a serious tone.</p><p>Andrew smiled, continuing to threaten her, but the look she gave him did not intimidate him at all because the children was shouting out to encourage him.</p><p><strong>– </strong>“Let’s go Andrew, let’s go!”.</p><p>Pretended to feel betrayed, Meredith ask them:</p><p><strong>– </strong>“But whose side are you guys on?... Andrew no, don’t you dare...”.    </p><p>Too late! Andrew had just spilled the popcorn on her, and then laughed at her when he saw the look on her face.</p><p><strong>–</strong> “Oh, you’re not going to get away with this!”, she exclaimed.</p><p>Then, she joined the battle while laughing and screaming “Attack!” as loud as the kids!  </p><p>*******************************</p><p>Two hours later, after putting the children to bed and tidying up the living room, Andrew and Meredith found themselves alone, sitting next to each other on the couch.</p><p><strong>– </strong>“Do you feel like another beer?”, Meredith offered him.  </p><p>Andrew accepted and Meredith went to the kitchen to get him one from the fridge and pour herself a glass of red wine. Then she handed him the beer and sat down next to him again.</p><p>Andrew took a few sips of his beer in silence. It was the first time that he didn’t tell her about his session and Meredith chose not to ask him any questions. Andrew was very grateful to her for understanding that this was what he needed right now. The silence was not awkward though. He felt so at ease with her! She smiled at him and held his free hand – he was holding his beer with his left hand, as usual. She tenderly stroked the scars that he still had from the frostbite he had gotten during the blizzard. But there were other invisible scars, and although he wanted her badly at the moment, he thought that it was time for him to leave.</p><p><strong>–</strong> “It’s getting late; I think I’d better go”, he said as he got up.</p><p>Meredith got up in turn and asked him: </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Aren’t you going to finish your beer?”.  </p><p><strong>– </strong>“No, sorry. I think it’s wiser”. </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Do you mean, don’t finish your beer or… leaving?”   </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Both. I’ve already had one and I’m a very careful rider”. </p><p><strong>– </strong>“You’d better! That damn motorcycle!”, grumbled Meredith.  </p><p><strong>– </strong>“And I have an early shift tomorrow, so I must go to bed early”, added Andrew. </p><p><strong>– </strong>“You know, you can finish your beer and... if you want to sleep over… there’s the couch. There was a time when you found it very comfortable”, Meredith offered, trying in vain to sound friendly. </p><p>He approached her and looked at her intensely. The desire in his eyes was evident.</p><p><strong>– </strong>“Mer, you know very well that if I stay, I won’t sleep on the sofa and I’ll be very, very late tomorrow”. </p><p>His voice was like a caress on her body. My God, how could he have that effect on her without even touching her.</p><p><strong>– </strong>“And that wouldn’t be wise, I know”, said Meredith with a sigh.</p><p>Andrew sighed as well and came closer to her. She could smell the familiar scent that she missed so much. Her pulse quickened when she saw him slowly stretch out his hand to touch her hair. Meredith knew he was going to take a strand and place it behind her ear, slip a hand behind her neck and kiss her. It had been ages since his lips had touched hers. She felt his hand in her hair and closed her eyes as she waited for his kiss...</p><p>She started slightly when he said to her, clearing his throat:  </p><p><strong>– </strong>“You had... you had a kernel of popcorn in your hair”. </p><p>His voice had become hoarse. He didn’t know that removing popcorn in her hair could get him so aroused. He knew someone who was going to need a very cold shower tonight! </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Oh! Uh... thank you”, she muttered.  </p><p><strong>– </strong>“You’re welcome!”.</p><p>They got lost in each other eyes for a while and it was really hard for Andrew to resign himself to leaving. He wasn’t ready for that. There were to many unanswered questions and his therapist didn’t seem to have all the answers.</p><p><strong>–</strong> “Mer, it was a wonderful evening. It was good to share such a moment with the kids again. I missed them. Thank you for inviting me”. </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Thank you for the helping hand”. </p><p><strong>– </strong>That’s what friends...”. </p><p><strong>– </strong>“That’s what friends are for! I know”, she cut him off.   </p><p>They smiled and wished each other a good night, hugging each other chastely, like friends do.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Seeing Meredith’s sensual smile who was holding a bowl of popcorn in the promotional video, I couldn't help but think that she might be talking with Andrew (not with her sisters). If so, I hope there will be more than a friendly hug. </p><p>Grab your popcorn for Thursday episode titled: Love of my live.</p><p>I bet it’s Andrew the love of Meredith’s life, and you?</p><p>See you soon.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>As soon as she entered the bar, she immediately spotted the large table where they were all seated but did not notice Andrew. She looked around the room and saw him talking to a woman near the bar counter.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks to everyone who read this fic, left comment or Kudos on it. I hope you would also like this chapter which I had a lot of fun writing because I have introduced several other interesting characters. Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 4</strong>
</p>
<p>Phew! Her shift had finally over. It had been a hard day. She’d lost a patient she had been treating for at least 2 years. She needed to talk to Andrew, the only person who could help her feel better just by being with her and listening to her. Although they got to see each other every day at the hospital, it had been a week since they have been alone together. Since the movie night with the kids last Friday, in fact. </p>
<p>Meredith took out her phone from her pocket to call Andrew. She wanted to invite him out to dinner but didn’t know if it was a good idea or not. When he picked up the phone, she started to smile like an idiot. Just the sound of his tender voice on the other hand of the line made every fiber of her being quiver. However, she didn’t have time to ask him if he wanted to go to dinner with her because he told her that he was already at Joe’s with his sister and invited her to join them.</p>
<p>By the time she arrived, the group had already grown. Link, Jo, Jackson and Hayes were hanging out there, too. That bar was really the favorite place for the entire <em>Grey Sloan</em> medical staff, Meredith thought. Jo was there because she hated going home too early these days to listening to Schmitt who couldn’t stop whining. Link had therefore come with her to keep her company until Amelia got out of the OR, so he could take her to his place. Jackson, who couldn’t be alone like Maggie always said, had invited Hayes for a drink. The latter, who was just starting to get along with his colleagues, had thought that it was a good opportunity to bond.</p>
<p>As soon as she entered the bar, she immediately spotted the large table where they were all seated but did not notice Andrew. She looked around the room and saw him talking to a woman near the bar counter. </p>
<p>Although she had just joined the Grey Sloan, Meredith recognized her right away. Indeed, she had already met her at the hospital. It would have been very difficult to forget her face because she looked a lot like Callie Torres. She was an anesthesiologist, if she wasn’t mistaken. She was a real Latin beauty full of sex appeal who could easily stand comparison with Torres.</p>
<p>At the time, Meredith felt no jealousy, too happy to see her Italian Stallion, worthy of being on the cover of People Magazine. She smiled without even realizing it while admiring how sexy he was from behind with his black and curly hair, his strong neck, his well-built shoulders. And his butt, wow! But her smile faded all of a sudden when she saw the curvaceous anesthesiologist lean toward him and almost touch him in a provocative way as she handed him her card. And Andrew obviously was flirting with her. His demeanor definitively left no doubt about it! It was unbelievable! Meredith felt so hurt and betrayed.  </p>
<p>They had decided to be just friends for now, but they didn’t talk about seeing other people during this break, if you could really call it a break. Meredith hadn’t even thought about it because she knew, even when he had told her it was over, that there would never be anyone else but him. He was the first man she said “I love you” to after Derek, as she told Hayes when he had asked her what Andrew was for her. And that’s when she had realized that she could never say those words to anyone but Andrew again.  </p>
<p>Watching him being so flirty with another woman was too painful for her. The look-alike of Torres smiled at him and then went to join her own friends. Meredith would have run away but, unfortunately, Andrew saw her as he turned around and he beckoned her to approach their table.</p>
<p>She put a forced smile on her face as she walked toward him and her co-workers. The latter laughed and applauded when Andrew showed them the card proudly. She took a moment to understand what they were saying because, in addition to the music and the background noise, they were all talking at the same time.</p>
<p><strong>- </strong>“My word, I can’t believe it”, said Hayes.</p>
<p><strong>-</strong> “So, she gave you her number without you having to ask when all we received Hayes and I was a humiliating rebuff!”, said Jackson in disbelief.    </p>
<p>Link replied with his usual sense of humor: </p>
<p><strong>- </strong>“If it’s any consolation to you guys, he beat me hands down once, and... look at me, can you believe it!”. </p>
<p>While they were talking, Andrew had pulled her a chair and offered her the beer he had just bought at the bar counter; then he had beckoned a waiter to bring him another one. The situation didn’t seem awkward to him at all. She wondered if all this meant that he had finally decided that they would only be friends now. Meredith’s heart sank but she made a special effort to greet everyone as if nothing had happened.</p>
<p>Jackson handed two tickets to Andrew and exclaimed: </p>
<p><strong>- </strong>“Hey Grey! You’re really lucky! Your boyfriend just won my two tickets to take you to the game tomorrow night”. </p>
<p><strong>- </strong>“What? What game?”, asked Meredith, confused.  </p>
<p>Carina answered:</p>
<p><strong>- </strong>“Ok Meredith, I can see you’re looking at my brother weirdly, but here’s what happened. Avery had two tickets to tomorrow night’s game, he asked each of the guys here to accompany him, but they declined. Jo and I like hoops, but we didn’t like being invited as an afterthought. So, when he finally asked if either of us wanted to go with him, we told him to find himself a pretty girl in the bar. He tried to hit on the gorgeous brunette over there without success. And since the guys made fun of him, he said that whoever came back with her phone number would have the tickets to go to the match with the person of his choice”. </p>
<p>Jo added: </p>
<p><strong>- </strong>“And you can guess the rest: it’s your <em>darling</em> who got her number. But don’t hold it against him. We challenged him a lot to that game and it was for a good cause”.  </p>
<p>Meredith felt relieved once she understood the situation. She had really thought the worst and blame herself for that! </p>
<p><strong>- </strong>“Congratulations handsome!”, she said to Andrew.  </p>
<p>She smiled at him as Andrew laid out the two tickets in front of her in a theatrical gesture. She heard Link say to Jo:</p>
<p><strong>- </strong>“Jo, you know very well that I would have won if I had taken up the challenge, but I’m in the middle of a <em>baby dady drama</em>, so...”.  </p>
<p>Jo replied: </p>
<p><strong>- </strong>“You mean that you chickened out! We could have gone together to this damn game!”.   </p>
<p>Hayes turned to Jo and said:   </p>
<p><strong>- “</strong>I would have gladly invited you if I hadn’t made such a fool of myself like a complete beginner. I’m sorry I lost, I’m a bit rusty, I think”. </p>
<p><strong>- </strong>“Hmm! it doesn’t look like it!”, replied Link.  </p>
<p>Meredith could have sworn that Hayes had blushed when everyone burst out laughing. As for Jo, she had been acting weird the rest of the evening. </p>
<p>They spent an hour catching up and laughing. Jackson was the first to leave because April was going to drop Harriet off at his place very early tomorrow morning. Then it was Link’s turn because Amelia, who had just left the OR, wanted to go home and sleep. Jo wasn’t long to get up to leave and Hayes followed suit, saying that it was time for him to go check on his boys. He offered Jo to walked her to her car and they headed to the parking lot together, talking and giggling. Then, Carina, who was always very direct, said to them:    </p>
<p><strong>- “</strong>Well, I think I’m <em>de trop</em> here”. </p>
<p>She was about to get up when Andrew stopped her.</p>
<p><strong>- </strong>“Wait, I have something for you”. </p>
<p><strong>- </strong>“What?”, asked Carina.  </p>
<p>Andrew took the brunette’s card and handed it to her.</p>
<p><strong>- </strong>“It’s for you”. </p>
<p><strong>- </strong>“What do you mean?”. </p>
<p><strong>- </strong>“To be honest, I wouldn’t say I won. Apparently, she knew we were siblings and had noticed our little game. She said she’d help me win the bet if I agreed to give her card to my hot sister”.</p>
<p><strong>- </strong>“You cheated!”, exclaimed Meredith and Carina at the same time.  </p>
<p><strong>- </strong>“No! I did not cheat. Jackson said the tickets were for whoever gets her phone number, that’s it. And I did get her number, right?”.  </p>
<p>Carina and Meredith couldn’t believe it.</p>
<p><strong>- </strong>“Hum! Resourceful!”, said Meredith with a smile.  </p>
<p><strong>- </strong>“I’m already dating a girl. You know, I really like her, but I don’t know where it’s going”.</p>
<p>Carina stared into space for a while. Then she sighed and said in a tone that was meant to hide her emotion, even if she failed:</p>
<p>“That’s why I’m going to keep this number up for a rainy day”. </p>
<p><strong>- </strong>“Carina!”, said Andrew indignantly.  </p>
<p><strong>- </strong>“What! I didn’t say I was going to call her now. But I have the right to protect my poor little heart. And you’re lucky that my girlfriend is on duty tomorrow night; otherwise, I would have kept the tickets”. And, heading to the exit she said: “Ciao lovebirds! Have fun at the game!”.  </p>
<p>******************************</p>
<p>They finally found themselves alone! Meredith felt Andrew’s gaze on her but pretended to play with her beer so as not to look at him. </p>
<p>“<em>Why is everyone so sure that we are still a couple?</em>”, Meredith wondered. Maybe it’s because lately it’s rare to ever see the one without the other. Indeed, Jackson didn’t seem to have thought for a moment that Andrew would have taken someone else to the game. Jo had called Andrew her “<em>darling</em>” and now it was Carina’s turn to call them <em>lovebirds</em>!   </p>
<p>Andrew, for his part, was smiling when he saw her so moved by his presence. He touched her hand slightly.</p>
<p><strong>- </strong>“So… will you come to the game with me tomorrow evening?”, he asked her. </p>
<p>Meredith finally looked up at him. She did not know what to think of this invitation. Did he want to go out with her as a friend or... was it an actual date? She didn’t want to get her hopes up and asked him:  </p>
<p><strong>- </strong>“Andrew, are you asking your person out? Is that a date?”.   </p>
<p><strong>- </strong>“Maybe, I don’t know”. </p>
<p><strong>- </strong>“Not brave enough for that?”, she teased him.  </p>
<p>Andrew smiled. He knew that she was thinking back to the day he accused her of not being brave enough to show up with him at the New Year’s Eve party at the Karevs’. He remembered how despaired he was at the time of ever seeing her agree to go on a date with him and he also remembered the joy he felt when she finally said yes – even if she had kept him waiting for weeks!</p>
<p>Tonight, he felt that same joy, that same excitement because this amazing woman wanted to date him. Andrew thought that he might be as confused as she had been back then. But just like she had been unable to fight her feelings for him, he was also unable to fight his feelings for her. They were so overwhelming! He wanted to be with her. He loved her. Oh yes, he loved her. He still thought they should take their time, but that didn’t mean they shouldn’t date. He felt ready, and even more than ready, to make a fresh start. For her. With her.</p>
<p>He looked into her eyes and answered her question with a smirk: </p>
<p><strong>-</strong> “Fine! It’s a date”.</p>
<p><strong>- </strong>“Yes!”, exclaimed Meredith while mimicking the gesture of victory he had had at the time. </p>
<p>Andrew’s smile widened. He was glad to see her so happy. He raised his drink and said: </p>
<p><strong>- </strong>“To our first date!”.  </p>
<p><strong>- </strong>“Our <em>second</em> first date, to be more precise”, corrected Meredith. </p>
<p><strong>- </strong>“It’s an opportunity for me to do better, then. It’s not every day that one gets a <em>second</em> first date. What would you want me to do differently?”.</p>
<p>Meredith felt emotional as she looked back on their first date. My God, it’s been so long already and yet, it’s an evening that she would never forget. It had been so perfect! Sure, there had been so many other perfect moments with him afterwards, but that one will always remain unique in some way. And it was without hesitation that she replied: </p>
<p><strong>- </strong>“Nothing. There is nothing I would like you to do differently. I can’t remember anything you did that wasn’t perfect. However, there is one thing I’ll do differently this time”.</p>
<p>Andrew was intrigued and asked her: </p>
<p><strong>- </strong>“What? What will you do differently?”.  </p>
<p>Their eyes met for a while. Andrew could see the naughty glow in her eye. She smiled at him and slowly bit her lower lip. She always did that when she wanted to turn him on. And she was very good at that game. She never failed; he could tell judging by the way he was feeling now. Her lips were so tempting. He knew how tender they were. He missed them so much!</p>
<p>She started to lean over languorously toward him, which made his breathing faster, but for his dismay it was only to grab her handbag and her phone. Andrew felt disappointed when she got up. He was wondering if she aren’t going to answer his question. But she paused for a little while and, standing behind him, she bent down to whisper in his ear in her most sensual voice – and in Italian! – just to torture him even more:  </p>
<p><strong>- </strong>“<em>I will invite you to go up to my room!</em>”.  </p>
<p>Andrew felt her warm breath on his neck and closed his eyes for a second. Then she put the most erotic kiss on his earlobe and nibbled it gently, making sure to leave some saliva. His breathing was getting a little faster and he gasped for some air. She hadn't forgotten how to put him completely at her mercy. She knew him so well, better than any other woman.</p>
<p>Then she walked away with a slow and provocative gait. Andrew had a hard time swallowing while watching her moving away. But he didn’t dare get up to follow her. He was in such a state that he’d better sit still for a while. He must rather say, for a good long time.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Note: Thank you for reading. Comments are welcome.<br/>As Krista had never shown Merluca’s first date on the screen, I invite you to read the fic I wrote about it (The Season of Love, Chapter 7).</p>
<p>https://archiveofourown.org/works/19846321/chapters/47429803</p>
<p>See you soon for the last chapter! Take care!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>They had been hanging out together for weeks, pretending to be just friends, but tonight things might change. They were going to a game together, but not as friends.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Finally, here is the last chapter! I’m sorry I couldn’t update earlier. Thank you all for being so patient. To make up for it, it’s longer than the previous ones. This chapter takes place the day after the evening at Joe’s. I hope you’ll like it. Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 5</strong>
</p><p>Andrew had just paged Meredith at Hayes’ request for a consult on the case of a 16-year-old teenager. They had been hanging out together for weeks, pretending to be just friends, but tonight things might change. They were going to a game together, but not as friends. And he had a pretty good idea of how the night was going to end. That’s all he had been thinking about since last night when she had whispered these double entendre words in his ear at Joe’s.</p><p>Andrew’s heart pounded when he saw Meredith enter the small CT scan room where he and Hayes were sitting, waiting for the results. He noticed that she seemed also troubled to see him, probably because she was thinking about their date too. He stood up immediately to offer her his chair. There followed a rather bizarre exchange between the two of them, which Hayes began to observe, an amused smile on the corner of his lips.</p><p><strong>– </strong>“Oh! Thank you, but don’t bother… you can…”, started Meredith.  </p><p><strong>– </strong>“No, it’s OK; please, sit down”, Andrew insisted. </p><p><strong>– </strong>“You know, I can remain standing...”. </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Yes, but I don’t mind giving you my chair...”. </p><p><strong>– </strong>“No... really I...”. </p><p>Hayes finally got exasperated, so he exclaimed: </p><p><strong>– </strong>“For God’s sake, Grey, sit down, and get it over with!”.  </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Uh... yes ... of course...”, stammered Meredith, who finally settled on the chair, realizing how weird they must have looked. </p><p>Once seated, she felt Andrew’s gaze on the back of her neck and had a hard time focusing on what Hayes was saying. When he leaned over to put his forearms on the back of the chair Meredith felt even more nervous. She was only aware of his breathing, which seemed to have quickened like hers, and Hayes’ voice startled her.</p><p><strong>– </strong>“So, what do you think?”, said Hayes, who seemed to be waiting for an answer.  </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Uh what?”, asked Meredith and Andrew at the same time.  </p><p>Hayes sighed and rolled his eyes.</p><p><strong>– </strong>“Very well, thank you for your precious help”, quipped Hayes. “As much as I hate invasive procedures on children, I’m afraid we can’t do it laparoscopically”.  </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Yes... of course. I… agree”. </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Tell me, do I have to find another attending and another resident who can focus on my patient case for more than five seconds?”.</p><p><strong>– </strong>“Hayes!”, exclaimed Meredith in a tone more embarrassed than offended.  </p><p>She was usually more professional, and she shouldn’t have let herself be flustered by her resident in the middle of a consult.</p><p><strong>– </strong>“Anything else you’d like to add, Grey?”, asked Hayes.  </p><p>Meredith sighed and replied: </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Dr. Deluca can stay since I’m not available anyway. I had already asked Dr. Jo to cover for me”.  </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Uh... Dr. Jo?”, said Hayes, who suddenly sounded weird.  </p><p><strong>– </strong>“What? Is there a problem?”.   </p><p><strong>– </strong>“No, no, of course not. Why would there be a problem?”, he replied hastily. </p><p>Too hastily. Meredith remembered that Hayes had walked Jo to her car last night and she immediately understood that something was going on.</p><p><strong>– </strong>“All right, it’s settled. Hope you and Dr. Jo will be able to focus on your patient’s case for more than five seconds. Good luck with that”, Meredith said with a mocking smile as she started to walk away. </p><p>Hayes then exclaimed: </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Grey, wait!”. </p><p><strong>– </strong>“What?”</p><p>He cleared his throat before saying: </p><p><strong>– </strong>“You ... you can both stay on the case”. </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Hmm... interesting! Did... something happen last night?”, she asked. </p><p>Andrew also began to understand but remained silent.</p><p><strong>– </strong>“No. Nothing happened, and yet… I would swear that something happened, if you know what I mean”. </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Yes, I do. But I’m sorry, I have another surgery with the chief”. </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Please, Grey!”, Hayes begged.  </p><p>Before Meredith could answer, Jo appeared on the doorstep: </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Hey! You paged me, Meredith?”. </p><p>Her demeanor changed as soon as she saw Hayes.</p><p><strong>– </strong>“Jo, here you are!”, exclaimed Meredith. “Hayes thinks you’re... perfect ... for this case”.   </p><p><strong>– </strong>“What case?”, asked Jo, a little troubled by Hayes’ gaze.  </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Hayes will brief you. Dr. Hayes?”, said Meredith as if to invite the latter to respond but all he could do was smile at Jo like an idiot.  </p><p><strong>– </strong>“I’m going to prep the patient”, said Andrew while rushing out of the room, followed closely by Meredith. </p><p>They walked a few steps away and burst out laughing.</p><p><strong>– </strong>“Please, tell me we don’t have such a look on our face!”, said Meredith.  </p><p><strong>– </strong>“I’m afraid so, unfortunately”. </p><p>Having a good laugh was a way of dispelling some of their nervousness. Suddenly, they felt more comfortable about spending the evening together as a couple. They stopped in the middle of the corridor and looked into each other’s eyes and smiled, already forgetting Hayes and Jo. Andrew stretched out his hand and stroked her cheek tenderly. He said to her: </p><p><strong>– </strong>“I can hardly wait to be with you this evening”. </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Me too”. </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Still willing to do things differently than the last time?”, he teased her.</p><p><strong>– </strong>“Yes”, she replied naughtily.</p><p>They remained motionless for a while, still smiling at each other, when they heard Amelia’s voice: </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Is it me or are there some pheromones in the air?”.  </p><p>They turned sideways slightly and saw Amelia and Carina approaching them. The two women stopped in front of them and Carina replied:</p><p><strong>– </strong>“You must be right Amelia. You know, it’s very controversial and very few scientists believe that humans, like animals, possess pheromones to attract their sexual partners, and that pregnant women are more likely to perceive them”. </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Amelia? Are you sniffing us?”, asked Meredith who was looking at her sister as if she wanted to wring her neck.   </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Oh Amelia, you just gave me the idea of my next research!”, exclaimed a very excited Carina. “You could both serve as guinea pigs to test my theories”, she added to them.  </p><p>Andrew looked at her, rolling his eyes: </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Seriously Carina?”.  </p><p><strong>– </strong>“What! The purpose is to advance science”, she said innocently.   </p><p>Andrew and Meredith gave an exasperated sigh and walked away from their sisters at the same time, but in two opposite directions. Amelia and Carina looked at each other and burst out laughing.</p><p><strong>– </strong>“Come on Amelia, it’s time for your ultrasound now”. </p><p>
  <strong>****************************************</strong>
</p><p>Andrew took a deep breath before ringing Meredith’s doorbell. Zola came to answer the door, followed closely by Bailey and Ellis. The kids welcomed him by squealing with joy. This warmed his heart and he immediately felt relaxed. They were all talking and trying to catch his attention at the same time. However, Andrew managed to listen to them and show interest in everything they said or wanted to show him while making each of them feel how special he was.</p><p>None of them noticed Meredith smiling as she looked at them from the top of the stairs. Andrew was so good with the kids, she thought! From the bottom of her heart, she knew that he was the first and the last man that she introduced to her children. </p><p>Andrew looked at his watch and said: </p><p><strong>– </strong>“So, who wants to go and see if mom is ready?”. </p><p>Zola replied: </p><p><strong>– </strong>“I’m sure she is changing her clothes again”. </p><p>And Bailey added:</p><p><strong>– </strong>“She’s changed at least 10 times, you know!”. </p><p>Meredith was amused by their comments at first, but she rolled her eyes when she heard her sweet little Ellis say:</p><p><strong>– </strong>“Mommy asked auntie Maggie if her jeans made her butt look too small”. </p><p>Meredith couldn’t suppress a cry of protest: </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Ellis!”  </p><p>It’s a well-known fact that children always overhear when they shouldn’t.</p><p>Andrew laughed when he saw her hurtling down the stairs, shaking her head and saying:</p><p><strong>– </strong>“No, no… it’s not…”.</p><p>He got up to approach her. He took both her hands when she reached the bottom of the stairs.</p><p><strong>– </strong>“They’re exaggerating, you know!”. </p><p>Andrew looked at her, tilting his head to one side as if to say: “<em>Come on, be honest!”.</em> </p><p>Meredith sighed.</p><p><strong>– </strong>“Okay. Maybe not that much, after all”. </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Let’s have a look, then”, said Andrew as he spun her around to admire her. Then, addressing the children, he added: “I have never seen a woman as beautiful as your mother. She is perfect, isn’t she?”.</p><p>Of course, they all agreed with Andrew, even if it was hard to hear among their shouts of joy what they were saying.</p><p>Meredith felt such happiness seeing them all running towards her! She bent down to hug them all together. Andrew was going to move away but the kids took his hands so that he could be part of the little circle they formed. He was moved almost to tears. For sure, this was going to be one of the best moments of his life. </p><p>They all parted reluctantly and, as the children returned to their games, Andrew leaned over to whisper in her ear: </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Your butt is perfect, by the way!”. </p><p>Meredith smiled at him and held out her hand to him so they could get going. Maggie was in the shower and would be downstairs at any minute to watch the children.</p><p><strong>– </strong>“Aren’t you going to wear a jacket? You’re going to need one, you know”. </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Oh, darn it, I almost forgot! I’m going back upstairs for a second”. </p><p><strong>– </strong>“Take the one I gave you for Christmas”. </p><p>Meredith stopped short and looked at him. She repeated: </p><p><strong>– </strong>“The one you gave me for Christmas?”.</p><p><strong>–</strong>“Mm-hmm!”, Andrew said, nodding. </p><p><strong>–</strong>“The black leather jacket that you told me to wear only when I’d be ready for my first ride on your motorcycle?”.</p><p><strong>–</strong> “Mm-hmm!”. </p><p><strong>–</strong>“Andrew Deluca, you already know my answer”. </p><p><strong>–</strong>“Oh, let me see if I can recall what you’d told me the day of our first date”. He stroked his chin as if he was thinking. Then, imitating her voice, he went on: “<em>I have three kids and I’m not getting on the back of a motorcycle</em>”.     </p><p><strong>–</strong>“Exactly!”. </p><p>Meredith had a hard time calming the excitement of the children who were all trying to convince her by telling her how cool it would be! Bailey began to imitate the sound of the motorcycle engine by pretending to drive; Zola imagined the screams of her mother, scared to death, while Ellis was dancing around. It was so funny that Meredith couldn’t help but laugh her head off. Yet, she didn’t seem to want to give in. So, to avoid being overheard by the children, Andrew approached her and whispered softly to her:     </p><p><strong>–</strong>“I assume that you no longer want to do things differently tonight. It’s up to you”. </p><p>She replied in a hushed voice:</p><p><strong>–</strong>“What? This is blackmail! I didn’t mean that I was going to get on your thingy tonight!”.</p><p>Meredith blushed when she understood – far too late, unfortunately – the meaning of her words. Andrew, for his part, couldn’t suppress a smirk. </p><p><strong>–</strong>“I rather think that’s exactly what you meant Dr. Grey!”.  </p><p>Meanwhile, three little voices were begging her: </p><p><strong>–</strong>“Say yes, mommy; say yes, please!”.   </p><p>Meredith wondered why her children were always on Andrew’s side. She looked at them and said: </p><p><strong>–</strong> “I would have liked to, but... Andrew has only one helmet! So, it’s settled: I’m driving”.</p><p><strong>–</strong>“I hate to break it to you but, I have a spare one”. </p><p>Then she sighed and finally surrendered: </p><p><strong>–</strong>“Okay, you won!”.</p><p><strong>–</strong>“Yeah!”, exclaimed the kids. </p><p>She came closer and looked him in the eye:</p><p><strong>–</strong>“There’s nothing to gloat about. It was the children who convinced me, not your… pathetic blackmail”. </p><p><strong>–</strong>“Of course! Far be it from me to say otherwise”, he replied in a mocking tone. </p><p>
  <strong>****************************************</strong>
</p><p>The evening went wonderfully well on the same lighthearted ambience. They laughed and had a lot of fun like carefree and happy teenagers. Meredith had never experienced such an adrenaline rush such as during the motorcycle ride. Zola was not too far from the truth when she imagined her screams; except they weren’t screams of fear. She always felt safe with Andrew. Always.</p><p>The game was also great. They had been shouting themselves hoarse to cheer their team right from the start. They would throw themselves in each other arms for a big hug whenever their team scored. They were thrilled when their team won hands down. Sometimes, they held hands and smiled, sometimes, Meredith rested her head against Andrew’s torso while the latter wrapped his muscular arms around her shoulders to press her against him even closer.</p><p>Andrew, who was a big fan, told her lots of anecdotes about the team, each funnier than the next. They also gorged themselves on hot dogs, popcorn, cotton candy and Coca-Cola. Meredith felt like a teenage girl when she was with Andrew. Her heart pounded every time he smiled at her. And he literally took her breath away when he finally kissed her, because she had been pining for his kisses for weeks!</p><p>Wow, what a kiss! So sensual and tender at the same time. She was laughing at one of his anecdotes and he was laughing too. Then she looked up at him, admiring his lips, his white teeth, perfectly aligned, and his eyes… My God! Was it her imagination or did he really have the most beautiful eyes in the world! His eyes were partly closed on the effect of the desire that was showing through them and she just melted under his smiling and loving gaze. He reached out his hand toward her face. Meredith asked him in a hoarse voice:  </p><p><strong>–</strong>“Do I still have some cotton candy on my cheek?”  </p><p>He chuckled, and answered in a murmur:</p><p><strong>–</strong>“No, I just want to taste the cotton candy on your sweet lips”. </p><p>He slid his hand behind the nape of her neck to pull her closer to him and leaned over slightly to kiss her. The people and the noises around them disappeared. Everything that was not them ceased to exist when their lips finally touched. She closed her eyes and kissed him back tenderly while running her hand through his hair. They had to pull apart from each other before losing control. But her forehead remained rested against his as they were smiling. Meredith whispered to him:</p><p><strong>–</strong> “I love you”.</p><p><strong>–</strong>“I love you too”, he replied. </p><p>Eventually, cheers and applause brought them back to reality and they discovered by looking up that their images were being shown on the jumbotron screens in the stadium.</p><p><strong>–</strong>“Oh my God, the <em>Kiss Cam</em>! We’re on TV!”, exclaimed Meredith.   </p><p><strong>–</strong>“Yeah! Who would have said that Meredith Grey was going to become such a famous star!”.  </p><p><strong>–</strong>“Stop it, it’s not funny! I hope Richard isn’t watching the game!”. </p><p><strong>–</strong>“The whole hospital must have seen us and all you care about is Richard’s reaction!”, asked Andrew.  </p><p><strong>–</strong>“Yes, because I remember when he caught us at Jackson’s, and I can only imagine the look on his face right now!”.  </p><p>It was truly hilarious, and their laughter was almost uncontrollable.</p><p>Yes, they were having a great time smooching like teenagers. And their evening was just getting started!</p><p>
  <strong>****************************************</strong>
</p><p>Andrew had just arrived in front of Meredith’s house; he helped her get off the motorcycle and remove her helmet. Her eyes were shining with happiness and her cheeks were pink with excitement.  </p><p><strong>–</strong>“Wow, Bailey was right, this is so cool!”. </p><p>Andrew laughed lightly when he saw her so beautiful and happy.</p><p><strong>–</strong>“I knew you were adventurous enough to get on the back of a motorcycle! I think you are cut out for that. You look so beautiful in your leather jacket!”, he said as he pulled her closer.</p><p><strong>–</strong>“I see that you have not forgotten that I loved adventure”. </p><p>It was a nod to their “<em>first</em>” first date which made Andrew smile. He held her face with both his hands and kissed her softly. Then Meredith wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head against his chest for a moment with her eyes closed. She could hear his heart beating at the same rhythm as hers. They were beating in unison to the rhythm of love; a love so strong and so true. </p><p><strong>–</strong>“Andrew?”.  </p><p><strong>–</strong>“Yes, <em>mia cara</em>”. </p><p><strong>–</strong>“Come home with me”, she said.</p><p>There was something in her voice, like a certainty. Andrew knew it wasn’t an invitation to have sex. It was more than that. He didn’t need to think it through before answering. He stepped aside slightly and looked at her.</p><p><strong>–</strong>“Why don’t we sit on the porch for a while before getting inside”, he said, taking her hand. </p><p>Meredith nodded and followed him. They sat on the swing and remained silent for a moment, but he didn’t let go of her hand.</p><p><strong>–</strong>“Here I’m again, dating an amazing award-winning surgeon with three kids and a big job”, he said with a nervous laugh.</p><p><strong>–</strong>“Here I’m again, dating a brilliant Italian resident!”, replied Meredith in the same teasing tone.</p><p><strong>–</strong>“Are you still terrified?”.</p><p><strong>–</strong>“Yes, I am”.</p><p><strong>–</strong>“So am I. I think I have always been. But, I’m even more terrified of living without you. I need you, Mer. I love you so much!”.</p><p>He let out a sigh and Meredith squeezed his hand to reassure him.</p><p><strong>–</strong>“Andrew. I don’t want us to have to live without each other anymore; ever again. I wasn’t inviting you to stay just for the night. I want you to stay because I love you and I can’t live without you”.  </p><p><strong>–</strong>“Mer, I don’t want to stay just for the night either. You are my home. When I’m with you I feel at home. I love you and I adore your kids. I think... they kind of love me a little bit, too. During this break, you’ve been there for me and you saved me from myself. You’ve made me realize that being bipolar doesn’t make me unworthy of being loved, so that I’m no longer scared of having my own kids, because I know that they’ll be worthy of love even if they inherit my mental illness”.</p><p><strong>–</strong>“Andrew… I… I didn’t know that you…”.</p><p>Andrew shook his head and cut her off:</p><p><strong>–</strong>“Well, you’re now staring wide-eyed at me but don’t panic, OK. I’m not telling you that I want to have kids, like, right now, but… I’m just saying that I’m not afraid of it anymore. All I wish from the bottom of my heart is that you accept to share yours with me, that you let me love them and take care of them like my own children. I promise to continue to get treated so that I can take care of all of you”.</p><p>Meredith looked at him lovingly. Wow, a little Andrew with his eyes, his smile, his hair! She had never even dared to dream about it because she didn’t know how far their relationship could go. She smiled broadly as she pictured herself holding in her arms the baby of this man, whom she loved more than words could say. She was so moved that her voice was barely audible when she replied:  </p><p><strong>–</strong> “Andrew, my kids adore you and I know that you adore them. I’ve never doubted that you will be a wonderful father for them and… for those we may have together”. </p><p><strong>–</strong>“Mer, you mean... you’d be willing for us to have children together?”.</p><p><strong>–</strong>“Maybe not <em>children</em>. Let’s say <em>a child</em> for starters. I already have a small tribe, I remind you”.      </p><p>They laughed together, happy as they had never been.</p><p><strong>–</strong>“Moving in with you and raising the kids with you would make me the happiest man in the world <em>mia cara</em>”.</p><p><strong>–</strong>“And I’d be the happiest woman in the world”.</p><p><strong>–</strong>“Wow, we can say that we really skipped a lot of steps for a first date!”. </p><p><strong>–</strong>“I’m glad we did it this time”. </p><p><strong>–</strong>“Me too. I love you, Meredith”. </p><p><strong>–</strong>“I love you too Andrew. Let’s go inside. Let’s go home”.</p><p>That night, they made love as if it was the first and the last time. And they fell asleep in each other’s arms, where they belonged from now on.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Well, that’s the end. I wish the last chapter was better, sorry. Anyway, let me know what you think.</p><p>The hiatus may be longer than we expected. I pray that the whole Grey team (cast and crew) and all the fans will stay safe and healthy throughout this crisis. Take care of yourself.</p><p>I’m lacking inspiration these days and I can’t tell you yet when I’ll be back with a new fic. See you soon anyway.</p><p>Merluca is endgame!</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you all for reading. There will be one more chapter. I would very much appreciate your comments. </p><p>No one knows yet what happened to Alex and I’ve read so many theories that I couldn’t pick one. So, I decided to wait until the episode airs tomorrow. </p><p>Don’t forget your tissues!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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